The inhabitants, of course, fled in every direction;
and on meeting us, they promised the Indians half of the articles which
had been plundered from them if we could overpower the invaders and
recapture them. I determined to surprise the rascals in the midst of
their revellings. I divided my little army into three bands, giving to
Gabriel the command of the Apaches, with orders to occupy the shores of
the bay and destroy the boats, so that the pirates should not escape to
their vessels. The Arrapahoes were left in the prairie around the city
to intercept those who might endeavour to escape by land. The third
party I commanded myself. It consisted of fifty well-armed Shoshones and
fifty-four Mexicans from the coast, almost all of them sons of English
or American settlers.
Early in the morning we entered into what had been, a few days before, a
pretty little town. It was now nothing but a heap of ruins, among which
a few tents had been spread for night shelter. The sailors and pirates
were all tipsy, scattered here and there on the ground, in profound
sleep. The Sandwichers, collected in a mass, lay near the tents. Near
them stood a large pile of boxes, kegs, bags, &c.; it was the plunder.
We should have undoubtedly seized upon the brigands without any
bloodshed had not the barking of the dogs awakened the Sandwichers, who
were up in a moment.
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